1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to wet shaving razors, and more particularly to a razor of the type in which the head portion is pivotally moveable during a shaving operation.
2. Description of the prior Art
Razors of the type disclosed in U.S. pat. No. 4,026,016, issued May 31, 1977 to Warren I Nissen, are now well known in the art. They are characterized by the fact that the head portion of the razor has the facility for pivoting on the razor handle during a shaving operation, permitting the razor head to conform dynamically to a surface being shaved. The razor head of the '016 patent is urged to a neutral position on the handle by a spring-biased reciprocal follower interacting with cam surfaces on the underside of the head portion. Thus, as the head portion pivots upon the handle, it is always urged to return to its neutral position.
There is also disclosed in the '016 patent, and also in U.S. pat. No. 4,083,104, issued Apr. 11, 1978, to Warren I. Nissen, et al, an alternative embodiment in which the handle is molded of plastic and has extending therefrom toward the head portion a pair of arms molded integrally with the handle. The two arms engage cam surfaces on the underside of the head portion to urge the head portion to a neutral position on the handle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,063, issued June 13, 1978, to Robert A. Trotta, there is disclosed a razor handle having a plastic leaf spring molded integrally with the handle and adapted to interact with cam surfaces on the underside of a razor head portion pivotally mounted on the handle. In this instance, the spring is in the form of an inverted "U", with the middle of the "U" engaging the cam surfaces.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,935,639, issued Feb. 3, 1976, to John C. Terry, et al, there is disclosed a razor having a leaf spring extending from a razor handle toward a pivotally mounted razor head portion. The leaf spring is anchored at one end in the handle, with its other end extending into a groove on the underside of the head. Pivoting of the head portion causes the leaf spring to flex and exercise a force on the head portion, biasing the head portion back to a neutral position.
A shortcoming in the above, and similar, systems has been the "feel" of the head portion when in the neutral position. In the neutral position, the '639, '063, and '016 (alternative embodiment) springs exercise little or no force on the head portion, leaving the head portion with an unsupported "feel". The '016 first embodiment is somewhat better in this regard, but requires extensive mechanical structure including the reciprocal follower and the coil spring.